In line with government employability initiatives, universities are taking a more pro-active approach to helping students analyse and develop their transferrable skills. At present, schemes are being advanced to assist both current students in their personal development, and new graduates who are seeking employment in the recession.

In a presentation at a recent GTI TARGETjobs Breakfast News meeting, the Director of The Careers Group, Anne-Marie Martin, outlined the range of projects and policies at governmental, regional and institutional levels, with which Higher Education careers services are actively engaged.

• Governmental – New policies are being developed in consultation with careers advisers, especially in relation to the proposed new graduate internships, and additional funding has been provided to careers services through HEFCE.
• Regional - Regional Development Agencies are working with Universities to increase the number of work placements available to students.
• Institutional - All careers services are involved in delivering skills awareness training to staff and students. In some institutions, this has led academic staff to adjust courses in order to increase work-based learning and address skills gaps in students. In others, skills-development sessions are given directly by the careers service, and are often co-delivered with employers.

For more detail, please see the presentation slides below.

These findings are a further part of research conducted on behalf of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), which also addressed the response to the recession.